Air Force commission considers proposal to merge Air National Guard and Reserves

Alabama Air National Guard Senior Airman Peter Kanz reloads an ammo pouch after coming off patrol in this 2006 photo from Afghanistan. (Contributed photo/U.S. Air Force Photo)

The National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force is
considering a proposal to merge the Air Force Reserves and Guards, an idea that's
opposed from leaders of both organizations.

The idea is being pushed by five retired Air Force major
generals, two from the Reserve and three from the Guard, and would combine the
duties of the two branches into one command structure, according to a Defense
News report. The generals said the Guard and Reserve compete for funding and
missions and combining the two would reduce redundancies, especially during
fiscally constrained times.

Proponents point to a 2011 report by the Congressional Budget
Office showed combining the Army National Guard and Reserve could save more
than $500 million annually. The savings would be less, however, as the Air
Force's reserve components are smaller than the Army's.

The plan calls for combining the headquarters of the Air
Force Reserve staff, the Air Force Reserve Command Staff and the Air National
Guard staff into air reserve component staffs. All current Air Force Reserve
Command field units would be converted to all federally funded dual mission
status organization that would report to both federal and state commanders.

Opponents to the plan said the combining the two would not
result in a stronger organization.

Jackson said he thought the commission should work to better
define the roles and missions of the Guard and Reserves by removing barriers separating
the active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves.

"By focusing on modifying the Air Force Force structure in
this way, total force value can be increased, not decreased for the nation," he
said.